For years, critics and fans have been gushing about the brilliance of BREAKING BAD. And while it took me awhile to become a full convert, I have to say, the final eight episodes (technically the second half of Season 5) provided some of the best television last year.

Creator Vince Gilligan did an amazing job of paying off EVERYTHING that he set into motion over the course of the series run. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) started off as a mild-mannered chemistry teacher with cancer who got into the meth business to provide for his family once he passed, only to become a drug kingpin and finally, contending with what his dark soul had done to all those around him.

The walls were caving in for him throughout the FINAL SEASON episodes, which included one major surprise after another. His relationship with his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and his son Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte) are tested. His relationship with business partner Jesse (Aaron Paul) goes sour and he finally comes to blows with his father in law and DEA agent Hank (Dean Norris) who has finally caught on to his double life.

To go any further would spoil this great eight hours of entertainment, but it’s everything you would expect and more.

The Blu-ray (which can be bought both as a single purchase or part of the COMPLETE SERIES set), includes over nine hours of special features. This is really how special features should be done for a pop cultural phenomenons like this. Every episode has commentaries from the cast, there’s detailed deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel and much more.

If you came late to the BREAKING BAD train or think that it’s just another one of those over-hyped specialty shows, you’re wrong. The reason why the final season was so popular ratings wise, is that people got caught up on the previous seasons during binge viewings and couldn’t wait for the pay-off on display here.

And I can attest that waiting every week for these episodes to play out was torture. Getting a chance to watch them, likely in one or two sittings is a much better way to soak in the brilliance of Gilligan’s creation.